Bay Area Spotlight: “Give Up The Goods” By @1oakALLDAY And @shady28nate Is A Side Piece Anthem

If you’re a side piece, you know the euphoric feeling that you get when a successful fling happens. The bodily release is one thing, but the mental high of sharing someone else’s spouse is something that sends chills down the spine. In “Give Up The Goods,” 1-O.A.K. and Shady Nate croon about this phenomenon to the backdrop of some lush, dreamy production. The song may sound romantic, but the actual subject matter is nothing but lust. It’s an interesting feint that makes this listening and intriguing one, and identifiable one if you’ve ever played that role. If you haven’t, just don’t let the song boil your blood too much.

After a month, here’s how @FenkellPayroll and @CardoGotWings ‘s Big Bossin Vol. 2 holds up

The ever-looming call of summer grows closer. We will soon enter the time period of fewer clothes and more skin exposed. It’s a beautiful time of the year where frozen drinks are widely consumed, beach trips are spontaneous, and smooth, soulful music is blasted through car stereos. Payroll Giovanni and Cardo came together at the end of January for Big Bossin Vol. 2, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed Big Bossin Vol. 1, that is tailor-made for summer’s weather.Whereas the first one was a brief dip into the laid-back lifestyle of the OG, the second is a full-blown vacation. It takes the concepts explored in its predecessor and repackages them, reselling a similar product back to us, the consumers.

Now that the dust has settled and the project is more readily understood, is it still as good as it was when it came out?

In short, yes it is. A project is made up of the sum of its parts. The subject matter is admittedly the biggest aspect that goes into digesting music, but, here, the delivery shines in a way that helps it to transcend time. The message’s packaging is so authentic and precise that the quality of good music shines through clearly. Cardo’s soulful, sincere, and chilling productions bring out a new side of Payroll, one that magnifies the best of his abilities and shrinks the worst of them.

It helps that the weather gets warmer and that this album is meant for hotter temperatures so that its meaning can evaporate into thin air, inspiring new understanding when this happens. The juxtaposition of smooth tracks like “Stack It, Stash It,” and “Mail Long” showcase the project’s versatility and the willingness of both artists to explore more than just one sound. “Dopeman Dreams” and “Turn Ya Phone Off” make use of magnetic refrains that add to the prestige of the album and will help it to transcend time in a way that it’s already doing but at a much larger scale.

But, perhaps the cover art sells it best. The two purveyors of rap’s new go-to sound ride in a convertible car, the blue sky and sun shining brightly behind them. This is the warm weather that we’ve been asking for; it’s only right that we have the accompanying music to go with it. Thanks to the staying power of the album, it looks like it’ll continue to pair perfectly for years to come.

Should Detroit get an original series like @donaldglover ‘s ‘Atlanta’?

Donald Glover’s season one of Atlanta was a truly interesting experience. Despite being named after the city, which is deemed as one of the central spheres of influence in hip-hop, the show focused more on the personal and intimate, less on the actual city itself. Glover’s character Earn’s journey to become more than, well, homeless, is one of many threads that tie the central narrative together, introducing a number of eclectic personalities that all have something unique to say. Season 2 of Atlanta has begun, and if it’s official title “robbin season” means anything, it hints at a closer look into the negative stigmas surrounding the city. The first episode showed more of Atlanta‘s architecture and dilapidated buildings, hinting at some serious cultural elements to be dipslayed later in the season.

The overwhelming success of the show and its ability to paint the city in a slightly off-kilter light means that there are other cities that could presumably achieve the same effect. Out of the most influential cities in rap, period, Detroit would do well to get the Atlanta treatment. Get a cast of quirky entertainers, showcase some of the city’s premier talents that push the envelope in exciting ways, and paint the city’s beauty in ways that it’s never been done before, and you have the recipe for a hit that would resonate with America.

For one, the film Detroit – which captures the Algiers Motel incident of 1967 during the 12th street riots – showed that the world is interested in the notable events that have happened in the city. There’s a market for the city’s dangerous nature and how the street life impacts those who choose to live in it or are forced there by circumstance. The characters of Atlanta fall into either one of these categories and pay for it accordingly. A series about Detroit could frame the life of the streets through a story of music industry triumph and tribulations, sprinkling bits of wonky comedy in to break any dramatic tension.

What would work best for the series would be the city’s unique style of music. It’s derivative of classic bounce rap, but more contemporary. It’s its own style and that’s what would be the draw for the show as a whole. Expect to hear 100% Detroit-endorsed artists like AllStar JR, Rockie Badd, Kash Doll, and Cash Kidd – all offering their own signature stylings that showcase the variety in the city. Atlanta reached to the globe for its musical inclusions; a series about Detroit would stay within the confines of the city.

Of course, all of this is speculation. Atlanta is meant to be study of characters within the city, not necessarily the city itself. But Detroit’s history is as important as a central cast of characters; the city is one. With the proper approach, and some trust on behalf of showrunners hesitant to dip their toes in new waters, a series about Detroit would be something legendary.

Four February Projects That You Need To Listen To

February has been a month of surprise releases, anticipated albums, and amazing music. We’ve been watching, collecting, and digesting every release that’s come out so far. As the month winds down, it’s time to sit back and reflect on what have been the biggest releases so far and which that you should check out on the off chance that you missed them. From Detroit to the Bay Area, here’s what you should check out immediately.

Gangin by SOBXRBE

This Bay Area group received the ultimate cosign from Kendrick Lamar when they appeared on his movie curated Black Panther: The Album. Regularly referred to as one of Bay Area’s hottest collectives, their new album Gangin is finally out. It features more of the frantic, nonsensical style of rap that the group pushes, and a chaotic aesthetic that has made them near household names. With the album largely devoid of features, it looks like this one is a show of confidence for the group.

Eastside by Philthy Rich and Eastside Peezy

Bring together one of rap’s hardest veteran rhymers and one of Detroit’s most consistent heatmakers and what do you get? A project full of certified slaps. Both artists have worked on this heavily anticipated project for awhile, so when it finally arrived, fans were blown away by the sheer quality of music on display. If you’re into Bay Area bounce or Detroit slick, you’re in for the treat of your life.

Organized Crime by AllStar JR

AllStar JR’s moment is now. Well, it has been for the better of the last year and a half. He’s everywhere, working with everyone, constantly growing in the process. His new album Organized Crime is finally here, and, spoiler alert, it’s fire. You’ll want to check this out when you get a chance. You won’t regret it.

Black Panther: The Album by Kendrick Lamar and Various Artists

As legend tells it, the studios requested a song from Kendrick for the Black Panther soundtrack and, in return, the wordsmith sent back an album. It’s been critically acclaimed and is a showcasing of the global African experience, also spotlighting the rising talent located in the Bay Area. While it doesn’t feature the typically upbeat bounce of Bay Area music, it’s much more lush, worldly, and, generally more expensive-sounding. You’ll find some of the names that we regularly report on our website as well.